Continuing with our Italian Hanukkah dinner, after the first course of riso coll’uvetta, proceed to the second course: Hanukkah Fried Chicken which is, of course, fried in olive oil. This dish is popular in Rome and all over Italy for this Jewish holiday. Ingredients Serves 4-6 One whole chicken For … Read More
Mock «puntarelle» alla romana
One of the dishes I miss most from my Roman days is the winter salad known as puntarelle, a kind of chicory native to the countryside around Rome. In fact, the vegetable is sometimes called “Roman chicory” in English. The shoots are rather thick but tender, white at the base and green … Read More
Lesso di manzo rifatto (“Re-made” Boiled Beef)
Waste not, want not, they old saying goes. There are a myriad of old recipes in the Italian repertoire for making use of boiled beef leftover from beef broth, a brodo classico or a bollito misto. Of course, boiled beef can simply be gently reheated in its broth and served … Read More
Risotto alla crema di scampi (Risotto with Puréed Shrimp)
As I have mentioned before, Rome is not really risotto country. But there is at least one risotto dish that appears on almost every menu in town: risotto alla crema di scampi, or risotto with crayfish (or shrimp) purée. It is one of my favorite risotti, but I hadn’t … Read More
Penne alla vodka (Penna with Vodka Sauce)
A quick post on this well-known but relatively new variant on penne all’arrabbiata: make your arrabbiata with less peperoncino than usual, just enough to give the dish a slight ‘bite’, and then add a shot glass or two of vodka to your sauce. Allow to continue simmer a few minutes … Read More
Penne all’arrabbiata (“Angry” Penne)
Here’s another signature dish of Roman cooking, penne all’arrabbiata or ‘angry’ penne, perfect for an impromtu meal or snack when you crave something spicy. It is a very simple dish—basically an aglio, olio e peperoncino with tomato and extra peperoncino added for more heat. Ingredients Serves 4-6 persons 500g (1 … Read More
Peperoni ripieni di tonno (Tuna Stuffed Peppers)
There are so many different ways to stuff a pepper. Here’s one, Tuna Stuffed Peppers, that I particularly like. Stuffed peppers are commonly used as an antipasto or part of a buffet. But, to my mind, they are substantial enough to serve as a secondo. In fact, last night they were … Read More
Costolette d’agnello «a scottadito» (Roman-Style Lamb Chops)
There is surely no meat more typical of the Mediterranean basin than lamb. Sheep husbandry began in pre-historic times and is thought to have gotten its start in Mesopotamia, quickly spreading to Asia Minor and southern Europe—it played a major role in the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, including the … Read More
